


The Taste of Rosebuds

by SlytherinHowl



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: 31 Days of The Arcana, Chandra knows it and approves, Day 2: Nadia - Tea, F/F, Flirting, Gentle Kissing, My apprentice is a massive lesbian, Nadia doesn't take any classist bullshit, Slight innuendo?, Tea, it's just that Nadia lives in my apprentice's mid rent free
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:08:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26781172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinHowl/pseuds/SlytherinHowl
Summary: The upper class and their tea parties are extremely dull. Chandra knows it and goes in search of the one human who has a few wild tricks up her magical sleeves to cheer the Countess on.ORTea, bashing the rich, Chandra being smart and a very flirty apprentice.
Relationships: Apprentice/Nadia (The Arcana), Nadia (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	The Taste of Rosebuds

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in one sitting for the second day of the '31 Days of Arcana' event. The prompt was 'Nadia - Tea' and I have a feeling I might not have fulfilled it but this was fun to write. It features my female apprentice Leto, whose personality traits are 1) Horny 2) Gay 3) Pickpocketing 4) Eat the rich. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Leto pushes the dark strings of hair that fell down from her bun away from her eyes as best as she can, careful not to rub any myrrh resin in her incredibly blue eyes. She is not as apt a harvester as Asra is, but the magician apprentice had promised a furious Portia Devorak she would do anything to atone to a slight magical mishap that turned poor Pepi blue. It just turned out that Julian was in need of myrrh and other ingredients for his ointments, so Leto had no other option but to trek through the forest in search of them. At least it’s not leeches this time. 

She is a city girl, a swift and charming street urchin, more like it. The woods are foreign territory, as much as she likes the quiet of them. Leto can travel the sewers of Vesuvia back and forth with nothing but the bright flames she conjures from her hands. She can pick any lock and slide into any opening, like a cat, or like the thief she used to be. Used to, the emerald necklace that hangs above her heart tells her. She misses the thrill of being chased down a dark alley by palace guards and business owners alike, she misses being one with the shadows. Sometimes, she resents Asra for offering her his magical guidance in exchange for her freedom when he caught her sneaking into his shop (the only time Leto ever got caught!), but then she remembers that her many skills are better suited to other purposes, like climbing the high palace towers to the Countess’ private chambers and sneaking off with the most valuable jewel, Nadia Satrinava herself. 

The Countess’ name brings a lopsided grin to her angular face. Her satchel is full of Julian’s stuff, but Leto left a space in it to a handful of lavenders she is yet to pick and dried rosebuds, to make her lover some invigorating tea. Hopefully tonight, if Asra doesn’t have anything for her to do or the guards at the palace do not decide to interrupt Leto’s plan to surprise Nadia with a nice aromatic bath, some tea and a back rub ( _"and maybe something else"_ , she thinks with an even bigger grin). Just because she is sneaking in uninvited does not mean she is unwelcome, if only the guards would understand that. 

Just as her thoughts wander from her task, she hears the flapping of wings behind her and turns just as Chandra lands smoothly on a tree branch slightly above Leto’s sightline. The owl looks at the magician with her deep black eyes almost worriedly. Leto is not good with animals (she has no idea why Faust still likes her even though she is constantly almost stepping on the small snake), but she has known the owl long enough to know she or Nadia must want something. 

“Hello, there. Is the Countess well?” Leto asks and Chandra hoots desperately, indicating that there’s something wrong. “What happened to her, Chandra?” 

Leto knows this is a stupid question to ask an animal, but she would not be surprised if Chandra actually replied, given how intelligent she is. She hoots desperately once more and takes flight back towards the palace. Leto feels that tingling worry start to settle down in her belly, so she gathers her belongings quickly and sprints after the owl, Julian’s myrrh be damned. Her dark hair falls from its bun and cascades down her shoulders as she runs out of the forest towards the wall that protects the city. The guards that are posted there reach for their weapons, but Leto points madly towards the white owl that flies ahead of her. 

“I’m Vesuvian, you idiots! The Countess has called for me!” Leto yells and Chandra hoots in agreement. The guards jump back and allow the two passage into the city. 

“These guards are useless, Chandra! If I were an invader, they would have just let me in! I have to talk to Nadia about that!” The owl hoots again at the mention of her human companion and flies even faster. 

They make their way around the streets and now Leto is in her element. She starts leading then, since she knows more about the city’s hidden passageways than the poor palace owl. They reach the secret door that leads to the gardens and sneak inside. Leto all but collapses at the fountain, but the owl is restless. Chandra lands on Leto’s shoulder and pecks her ear until the human takes the hint. 

“Alright, alright, alright! Where is Nadia?” Chandra takes flight again straight to one of the Salon’s windows. Leto pats the dirt and the odd twig from her trousers and her green cloak and makes her way to the Salon. When she gets there, she cracks open the door to see Nadia surrounded by a group of rich snobs in their fur coats and expensive jewellery. The Countess looks utterly, incredibly, awfully bored, even with Chandra perched upon her shoulder. 

“Leto!” She mouths when her eyes meet her lover’s. One of the rich snobs notices that the Countess’ attention is no longer focused on his bragging about having a golden carriage (not that it ever was), so he too turns and suddenly all of them have put aside their teacups and lavender cakes to watch the intruder in the room. Their eyes are filled with disdain as they stare Leto down and her hand involuntarily grazes the handle of the dagger strapped to her thigh. 

“Ladies, gentlemen, this is Leto, the apprentice of the magician Asra and one of my most valued advisors. Along with Doctor Devorak, Leto is helping me make sure the taxes are being used for the reconstruction of the Flooded District and for a better distribution of wealth so that the poor of Vesuvia have bread to eat and a roof over their heads.” Nadia finishes with a soft smile that only Leto gets to see. 

One of the guests snickers and mutters to himself, thinking no one can hear him. “Looks like a common thief. No surprise she’s the one stealing our taxes.” 

Leto sees red, but before she has had a chance to react, Nadia has risen from her chair and walks menacingly towards the man with the feathery hat. “I will not tolerate you spewing lies and derisions towards someone who has done so much more for Vesuvia than you ever have, Petrus. These opinions are not welcome here, be they yours or anyone else’s.” 

While every single one of the guests is too busing cowering from the righteous wrath of their Countess, Leto gets the chance to sneak behind this Petrus man, who reminds her an awful lot of that disgusting Vlastomil, and nick the golden ring on his pinky finger without him noticing. An uncomfortable silence falls upon the room until a woman with too much make-up and a horrible pink velvet dress stands up. “It seems that our business here has been concluded, Countess.” The disrespect in her voice makes Leto want to curse her and all her future generations. 

All guests scramble to their feet and awkwardly make their way to the door while Nadia watches with reproachful eyes with just a tad of satisfaction in them. Before Petrus, whoever he is, can leave the room, Leto calls out to him. 

“Catch!” She hurls the ring at him with too much force. He is absolutely astounded. 

“How?” 

“I’m no common thief. I’m the best thief.” 

When they have finally scurried out of the room, Nadia bursts into laughter and Leto laughs with her. “How did you do that, my darling? Did you cast a confusing spell on him?”

“No, just my good old pickpocketing skills.” Nadia laughs some more and presses her lips to Leto’s. They savour each other for a long while, until Leto breaks away just enough to whisper against Nadia’s lips. “Chandra is such a dramatic girl. She came to me in the forest while I was collecting myrrh for Julian and wouldn’t stop hooting until I followed her. I thought you were in danger.” 

“I was in danger of dying of boredom. Now that Chandra has disturbed you so and you are already here, come drink some tea with me.” She pulls Leto down into one of the sofas and wraps an arm around her lover’s shoulders. 

“Speaking of which, I got you those in the forest,” she says while pulling the dried rosebuds from her satchel. “Wild rosebuds. They make quite an… invigorating tea, if you know what I mean.” 

Nadia’s smile widens and her eyes pierce Leto’s. “Put them in the hot water, then, my darling. You’ve sparked my interest.” 

Leto drops some in an empty cup and pours water on them, watching with delight as the different shades of pink swirl in the cup. Once the infusion is done, she hands the cup to Nadia, who takes it to her lips in a sultry motion, eyes hooded and seductive. 

“Did you also know, my love, that there are properties in rose tea that makes it unique to each person? The flavour you feel in your tongue is yours alone. There is only one way I can taste it too.” 

“Oh?” Nadia says, raising a manicured eyebrow. “How do you do such a thing, my darling?” 

“Like this,” Leto whispers and captures Nadia’s lower lip with her own. She does taste the floral sweetness of the tea in Nadia’s tongue and both moan appreciatively, the tea forgotten. 

“Invigorating, indeed,” the Countess says between kisses. “You were right, Leto. You are no common thief.” 

“Yeah?” She replies absentmindedly, peppering Nadia’s jaw with kisses. 

“Yes, my darling. It takes the best of thieves to steal my heart.”


End file.
